Buying a car is not an easy thing to decide on.
There are a lot of factors that you have to consider before getting one. Should you buy a used car or should you buy brand new? Should you buy diesel or should you buy gas? Should you buy an automatic or is going manual the better option for you? Is getting something cheaper actually that practical?
Let’s try and solve one of these questions by talking about which would work better for you: buying from a private seller or from an actual car dealer? Or getting a repossessed one from a bank?
Dealer
Pros
Peace of mind
Buying from an actual car dealer whether 2nd hand or brand new means that you would be buying something that has already been inspected by professionals. These dealers have reputations to keep so they don’t want to sell you anything that’s in a bad condition either.
This makes your purchase risk free, given the additional fact that most dealers also offer warranties when you buy a car from them!
No paperwork for you
Dealers handle all your paperwork for you, like the transfer for ownership, applying for a bank loan, and etc. which is something that you have to do all by yourself when buying from a private seller.
Paperworks are sometimes very annoying to deal with, especially if you don’t have a lot of time in your hands, so this is definitely a pro!
More payment options
Buying from a private seller often means that you have to buy their vehicle in cash. Dealers offer you the option to pay for your vehicle on a monthly basis through bank financing and because of their partnerships with banks, they usually have very flexible options that best fits your needs!
Brand new choices
Obviously, you can only buy brand new vehicles from dealers, so this is a given pro.
Cons
Higher prices
Buying from a dealer, especially when buying second-hand (because brand new cars are obviously priced brand new), means that you’re going to be paying more for a vehicle compared to when buying from a private seller.
Dealers have to earn too, so they increase the prices of the second-hand vehicles that they get ahold of in order to make a profit out of it.
Private seller
Pros
Lower prices
Private seller cars are generally priced lower because they’re usually just trying to get rid of their cars so they can purchase a new one, or use the money for something else. Unlike dealers, who has to make a profit out of their capital.
On top of that, negotiations are also easier with private sellers.
No sales team to deal with
Salespeople often pressure you into buying cars that you’re not even sure if you like that well yet because they have quotas to meet.
Private sellers do not have these quotas so you won’t be pressured into buying their cars unless you really like their vehicle.
Cons
Only 2nd hand
You can’t buy a brand new vehicle from a private seller unless it’s a project car of some sort that they built themselves.
Risky
Buying from a private seller is filled with uncertainties because you do not know what the real condition of their car is. Bring your best mechanic or inspect their vehicle very thoroughly before buying from one!
Fewer payment options
Getting a car from a private seller offers you fewer payment options, as they usually just offer to sell their vehicles for straight-up cash.
Paperwork
You will be handling most of the paperwork if you’re going to be buying from a private seller.
Extra inspections for you
Unlike when dealing with a car dealer, buying from a private seller means that you really have to inspect the car thoroughly to make sure that you’re not buying a vehicle with hidden issues.
Buying a bank repossessed car
Pros
Lower prices
Repossessed cars are usually offered for bidding so they start at lower prices, and you have great chances of getting them at a lower price than dealerships.
Relatively new models
Repossessed cars come from owners that can no longer afford to pay for their vehicles which means that these cars are still relatively new, given that they are still paying for it.
Good condition vehicles
Repossessed cars are not being sold because they’re old or because the owner wants to get rid of it already, but because their original owners can no longer afford them. Chances are, these cars are still in good conditions because the owners weren’t planning on getting rid of them in the first place.
Cons
Also only 2nd hand
There are no brand new repossessed cars for obvious reasons.
Car of your choice might be hard to track
Unlike when buying from dealerships or from private sellers, repossessed cars are not as “out there,” and there are not a lot of options for you if you decide that you want to buy a repossessed car.
So if you already have a car in mind that you want to purchase, you might have a hard time looking before you find it.
Also a bit risky
While these cars are assumed to be in good condition, they are still not as safe as cars that come from legitimate dealers.
Bidding
Repossessed cars are usually sold through auctions, so there’s no guarantee that you will get the car that you like at the price that you originally preferred.